Written
accounts of the early history of Singapore are
sketchy and the names used to refer to the place
are varied. A Chinese account of the third
century refers to Singapore as Pu-luo-chung,
translating the Malay words Pulau Ujong that
refers to it as the 'island at the end' of the
peninsula.

The
1365 Javanese epic poem Negarakretagama identified
a settlement called Tamasek, Water Town, on
Singapore island. Chinese trader, Wany
Dayuan, who visited Singapore around 1330 and
referred to the settlement as Danmaxi, reported
that there were also some Chinese living on the
island. The Sejarah Melayu or
Malay Annals has the most colorful account of
how Singapore got its present name. As the
story goes, Sang Mila Utama (or Sri Tri Buana),
ruler of Palembang, landed at Temasek one day
while seeking shelter from a storm. Sighting
an animal that his followers called a lion, he
decided to establish a settlement and named it
Singapura - Lion City. The island became
commonly known as Singapura by the end of the 14th
century.

During
the 14th century, Singapore was caught in the
struggle between Siam (now Thailand) and the
Java-based Majapahit Empire for control over the
Malay Peninsula. According to to
Sejarah Melayu, Singapore was defeated in one
Majapahit attack. Later a prince of
Palembang, Iskandar Shah, also known as
Parameswara, killed the local chieftain and
installed himself as the island's new ruler.
Shortly after, he was driven out, either by the
Siamese or by the Javanese forces of the Majapahit
and fled north to Malacca where he founded the
Malacca Sultanate. Singapore remained an
important part of the Malacca Sultanate; it was
the fief of admirals, including Hang Tuah.

In
the early 15th century, Singapore was a Thai
vassal state, but the Malacca Sultanate which
Iskandar had founded quickly extended its
authority over the island. After the Portuguese
seizure of Malacca in 1511, the Malay admiral fled
to Singapura and established a new capital at
Johor Lama, keeping a port officer in Singapura.
The Portuguese destroyed Johor Lama in 1587 and
the subsequent obscurity of Singapura probably
dates from 1613 when the Portuguese reported
burning down a Malay outpost at the mouth of the
river.

In
1819, Singapore was established as a trading
station by Sir Stamford Raffles under an agreement
between the British East India Company and the
Sultan of Johor and the Malay ruler of the island.
In 1824, Singapore was ceded in perpetuity to the
East India Company by the Sultan.

During
World War II, Singapore was occupied by the
Japanese from 1942 to 1945. Following the
surrender of Japan, Singapore was re-occupied by
the Allied Forces.

In
August 1958, the State of Singapore Act was passed
in the United Kingdom Parliament providing for the
establishment of the State of Singapore. Singapore
achieved internal self-government on 3 June 1959.
On 1 September 1962, 73 percent of the electorate
voted in favour of merger with Malaysia. Singapore
became a part of the Federation of Malaysia on 16
September 1963. The union was short-lived and
Singapore separated from Malaysia on 9 August 1965
becoming a fully independent and sovereign nation.

Singapore
became the 117th member of the United Nations on
21 September 1965. On 22 December 1965, the
Constitution Amendment Act was passed under which
the Head of State became the President and the
State of Singapore became the Republic of
Singapore.

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